Transcribed from the 1894 Roxburghe Press edition by David Price,
The Law
and
Lawyers of Pickwick.
A LECTURE.
With an Original Drawing of “Mr. Serjeant Buzfuz.”
by
Frank Lockwood,
q.c. m.p.
london:
THE ROXBURGHE PRESS,
3, Victoria Street, Westminster,
and
32, charing cross, s.w.
p. 4Uniform with this Edition.
CHARLES DICKENS’ HEROINES ANDWOMEN-FOLK:
Some Thoughts Concerning Them.
by
CHARLES F. RIDEAL.
With an original Drawing of Edith Dombey.
p. 5PREFATORY.
At the request of my friend Lord Russell of Killowen, then Attorney-General, I delivered this lecture at the Morley Hall, Hackney, on December 13th, 1893. I had previously deliveredit in the city of York at the request of some of my constituents. I feel that some apology is required for its reproduction in a more permanent form, which apology I most respectfully tender to all who may read this little book.
F. L.
p. 9THE LAW AND LAWYERS OF “PICKWICK.”
Sir Charles Russell: I stand but for a single instant between you and our friend, Mr. Lockwood. He needs no introduction here; but I am sure I may in your name bid him a hearty welcome.
Mr. Frank Lockwood: Mr. Attorney-General, Ladies and Gentlemen—It is some little time ago that I was first asked whether I was prepared to delivera lecture. Now I am bound at the outset to confess to you that lecturing has been and is very p. 10little in my way. I spent some three years of my life at the University in avoiding lectures. But it came about that in the constituency which I have the honour to represent, it was suggested to me that it was necessary for me to give a lecture, and it was further explained to me that it did not really very much matter as to what I lectured about. I am bound to say there was a very great charm to me in the idea of lecturing my constituents. I know it does sometimes occur that constituents lecture their representatives, especially in Scotland, and I was anxious, if I might, to have an opportunity of lecturing those who had so many opportunities of reading, no doubt very useful lectures to me. But the difficulty was tofind a subject. My own profession suggested itself to me p. 11as a fit topic for a lecture, but unfortunately my profession is not a popular one. I do not know how it is, but you never find a lawyer introduced either into a play or intoa three-volume novel except for the purpose of exposing him as a scoundrel in the one, and having him kicked in the third act in the other. I do not know how it is, but so it is. Allthe hero